Fantasy Baseball Player Notes

Drake Baldwin broke out in 2025, finishing with a .274/.341/.469 slash line, 19 home runs and an .810 OPS (126 OPS+) across 446 plate appearances, good for 3.3 WAR and a runner-up Rookie of the Year finish. His underlying profile supports the production: a .358 rOBA (130 Rbat+), 91.7 mph average exit velocity and 49.6% hard-hit rate all comfortably cleared league norms, while his 15.2% strikeout rate was elite for a power-hitting catcher. Baldwin's balanced batted-ball distribution (23.1% LD, 48.7% GB, 24.9% FB) and strong situational metrics (26.68 RE24) point to a polished, sustainable offensive skill set rather than a fluky debut. For fantasy purposes, Baldwin is a clear riser at a thin catcher position. Catchers who combine above-average power (4.3% HR rate, .195 ISO) with strong contact skills are rare, and his everyday role in Atlanta further boosts counting-stat reliability. If the 2026 projections maintain anything close to his rookie rate production over a fuller workload, Baldwin profiles as a top-tier fantasy catcher with a stable floor and legitimate 20-25 home run upside.